Normality is Overrated
by Storybookgirl77
Summary: Jen is getting fed up of her life. Stuck in the basement with her three slightly oddball best friends and colleagues she has nightmares of being left an old maid. Still with no clue about technology and still having no luck with men are things about to change? Will Roy and the others see what is going on under their noses and can Roy be the one to make Jen see things aren't so bad?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer - I do not own anything related to the IT Crowd. Channel 4 and the original writers including Graham Linham own all. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.

1\. Normal?

The basement was empty when Jen arrived for work. She was glad of the solitude for a few minutes before the lads arrived for work. The only thing that struck her as slightly strange was the face the red door was open, suggesting that their resident Goth hadn't arrived for work that morning. Shrugging her shoulders she went into her office to prepare herself to start her day. Sat at her desk she buried her head in her hands as she tried to think about what the boys would say when they found out she had been on yet another date that was memorable for all the wrong reasons.

xxx

"Moss?" Roy lumbered into the office just behind his best friend.

"Yes, Roy?" Moss tried not to sound as though he was about to be interrogated.

"Are you alright?"

"Me? Fine, never better, happy as a sandboy. Why?"

"Your mother didn't give you an apple."

"She doesn't always do that." Moss sighed. "In fact I am surprised that you have even noticed."

"Oh I notice." Roy smiled. "And she does. She also buys you those ridiculous ties. Who wears clip on ties at our age?"

"I do." Moss stated, not in the least bit offended by the remark. "Oh. We aren't the second and third in today. It would appear we are the fourth and third. Richmond and Jen are here."

"So?" Roy slumped at his desk. The phone there began to ring as he studiously ignored it. Moss picked up his plain white mug, berating the fact that his clearly easy to identify plain white mug had been used by someone else. Roy ignored him as he let the phone ring another twice before answering it.

"Have you tried turning it off and on again? Ok, well is there a green light on? The GREEN LIGHT. It says the machine is plugged in and turned on. You have checked it is plugged in?" He shook his head in disgust as the caller hung up. "Well really!"

"Oi." Moss looked up as Richmond appeared from behind the red door.

"You've arrived."

"Yes. It is." Roy sighed. "ten past nine."

"You know then?" Richmond nodded towards Jen's closed office door. Both men frowned before turning to look at the closed door to their left.

"What?" Roy was beginning to lose his patience. He had a hangover and was trying to forget a particularly horrible date that his cousin Dawn had set him up on. Richmond shook his head.

"Our Relationship Manager. Jen Barber."

"We know who Jen is." Moss frowned as he tapped the computer keyboard in front of him. "I am going to fix her computer. I told her I would do it today."

"She has been crying." He sighed. "I don't know much about women but Jen is one and I know crying is rarely a good thing."

"Crying?" Roy seemed genuinely concerned. "Why? What did you do?"

"I have not approached her. I felt it would be wrong to offer the musical genius of Cradle of Filth at this time. After what happened at the funeral before." He looked off into the distance as both men ignored the melodramatic man. "I thought it best you approached her."

"Us?" Moss looked terrified.

"No." Richmond laughed. "Roy."

"Me?" Roy looked incredulous. "Why me?"

"She likes you and you are more in tune with normal people than Moss and I."

"Oh."

"She does like you." Moss sighed. "Not like she liked the security guard though. Daniel."

"No." Roy sighed. "Not like Daniel." He didn't know why that thought hurt him so much. He decided not to analyse it. "So, I should just go in there and see if she's ok?"

"Yeah." Moss stated. "Go on."

"Ok." He knocked the door once before opening it and stepping through. Moss and Richmond glanced at each other, clearly worried.

xxxxxxxxxxx

a/n first IT Crowd story. Hope its ok - please review


	2. Chapter 2

Closed

Jen looked up as she heard the phone in the lads' office ring. She counted the rings before Roy's grumpy voice could be heard. Smiling slightly she swore Roy would have the words 'have you turned it off and on again?' written on his gravestone. Then she began to panic; it sounded as if Moss and Richmond were encouraging Roy to check on her. It was the last thing she wanted. Thinking quickly she jumped to her feet; standing behind the door as Roy walked in.

"Morning Jen!" He yelled as he walked in. She remained silent, hidden by the door. Roy huffed, gave the room a cursory glance before stepping out again. Jen let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and sunk to the floor in relief. She didn't want to face the boys; not until she was ready. They would just assume Richmond hadn't seen her leave. She could hide as long as she wanted to.

Xxxx

"She's not in there." Roy stated as he walked back to his desk.

"I saw her enter." Richmond insisted.

"Did you? Well, she's not there now." Roy huffed, trying to hide his worry. He hated to think of any of his friends being upset but Jen most of all. He sighed, wondering if it was because she was the only girl he'd had as a friend or something more. Either way he wasn't going to tell Moss and Richmond what he was thinking.

"I did."

"Then, logically she must have left without you seeing her." Moss stated. Roy shrugged hoping that the others would end the conversation so they could get on with their day. Richmond mumbled something under his breath before turning to Roy.

"She is right, you know. That monkey poster has to go."

"Richmond; go stare at some flashing lights or something." Roy snapped as the phone on his desk began to ring. Richmond swore before heading back behind the red door.

Xxxxx

Jen stared at the closed door. She felt sick, lying to the guys was one thing but to Roy it seemed even more cruel. He had quickly become a good friend; rescuing her from bad dates and genuinely being the nice guy she wished other girls saw him as. Yes, there was no denying he was a grade A geek but he was kind, funny and incredibly caring when he let you get to know him. She didn't think he let many people see that. She smiled slightly, remembering how good he was with Moss - helping him deal with park bench bullies and generally not letting him end up completely isolated in the world of computers. But then there was that time he told her Google was the God of internet and that the internet lived in a box. So, she shrugged he was a bit of a dick at times. She pulled her handbag onto her lap, searching for tissues and a mirror she sighed heavily. Then the realisation dawned.

She liked Roy.

As in _like_ like him.

"Oh God." She mumbled. "Oh. God," Tears sprung to her eyes once more as the panic set in. She had no idea what she was going to do. Roy was her friend, but then so were Moss and Richmond. She buried her face in her hands before trying to calm her breathing. She was in love with Roy!

Xxxxx

Moss sat at the computer staring at the screen. He had been silent for over an hour. He sighed as he tapped the keys.

"What?" Roy looked up from his comic.

"It is odd."

"What is odd?" The Irishman answered, knowing he would regret the answer.

"Jen."

"Jen is odd? Aunt Irma isn't around? Is she?"

"I don't believe so." Moss touched his chest. "I'm not experiencing any breast tenderness."

"Shoot me now."

"Richmond says he saw her arrive. She wasn't in her office when you checked. I just hope she is ok. That's all." He carried on typing. "None of us saw her leave. She has yet to return. It's not like her."

"He hasn't upset her. Has he? He's left us all alone since the business with you sniffing out the Rohypnol. Hadn't he?"

"I think so. Especially after the sexual harassment case." Moss agreed. Roy nodded.

"She would tell us. If something was wrong?" Roy put the comic book on his desk as he thought about the man who was every bit as obnoxious as the man he had inherited the company from. "If Douglas has made her cry! I'll. I'll!"

"You'll what? Roy?" Moss looked over the top of his glasses. "Oh my Goodness! Oh my word!"

"What?" Roy frowned; clearly puzzled. "What not so amazing fact have you come up with now?"

"Jen. You. You. Jen."

"Yes, and you Moss." Roy rolled his eyes.

"You like her."

"Course I do. She's a mate."

"No. You like her. Like I the way you liked that blonde on the fifth floor."

"I do not!"

"You do too. You never worry about anyone else the way you do her. And. AND you have a clean tshirt on everyday." Moss pointed out.

"I do that every day!"

"No you don't!"

"I er I do mostly." He conceded defeat. "Moss!" The quiet genius smiled. "I can't be in love with Jen? No? That's not normal. It would be like being in love with you! My friend! I can't be in love with her! Don't be ridiculous."

Moss shrugged his shoulders as Roy looked at his desk. "Oh God, I'm in love with Jen!" He mumbled; not really sure what he was going to do about it.

Xxxxxx

A/N please review


	3. Chapter 3

Oh dear

Jen sat at her desk, quietly thinking about the situation she found herself in. She hadn't really liked the boys when they had first met. Moss and Roy were the last people she had ever considered would be her friends. She knew they had distrusted and had judged her when she had started working with them. Richmond had hidden away from her until he had decided she was wasn't a threat.

"Oh dear." She whispered to herself as she realised she loved Moss as if he was a brother. Richmond was a sensitive soul that she adored and Roy? She loved him and there she was lying to them all. She buried her face in her hands as she tried to work out what she was going to do next.

Xxxxxxxxx

"So?" Moss turned to Ray. "What are you going to do about it?"

Roy looked up as he heard his friend. Clearly sulking the Irishman glared at him.

"What?"

"You already told everyone you loved her. At her school reunion remember? When I had to pretend to be her husband?"

Roy nodded. He remembered the whole embarrassing situation as if it was yesterday. He had been mortified and ended up running towards Park Street with his best friend. Jen had not been impressed when she had caught them. None of them had mentioned the fact Roy had looked her in the eye and announced to a whole room of people - including his nightmare ex girlfriend that he loved her. Instead she had thrown her handbag at him.

"I am going to do absolutely nothing." He decided. "Not a thing. We are ok as we are."

"Roy. She was crying today."

"I didn't make her cry."

"No." Moss sighed. "But it disturbs you when she is upset." He gave him a knowing look.

"Well, no." He paused. "I don't like you to be upset either. Nor Richmond. Dun meant I'm in love with you two though."

"True." Moss nodded. "But she was upset and that made you angry at whoever it was she was upset by. And worried. And, for the record you've have worn a clean t shirt every day for the last month."

"So?! I'm not a complete slob."

"Not a complete one no." Richmond returned. "Moss, why don't you fix her computer while she's out? That may cheer her up."

"You don't have to tell me."

Moss got to his feet as Roy continued to sulk. Before Jen had a chance to hide he barged into her office.

"Jen!"

"Sshh!" Jen waved her hands. Moss sighed.

"I see." Moss shook his head. "Well really." He turned back to the main office, glad to see Richmond had once again vanished. He left the door open before declaring he needed to find a part to fix the computer. Roy looked up as he left the room to find himself staring straight at Jen.

Xxxx


	4. Chapter 4

Standoff

Jen felt stuck. There was no way she could move as Roy looked at her.

"You weren't in there." Roy stated. "I went in there. I went in and I said your name and I looked."

"I." Jen looked at her hands. "I didn't want to see anyone."

"By anyone you mean me and Moss." He got to his feet. "Why?"

Her eyes stayed on the ground as he approached her. "Are we really that bad?"

"No." She whispered as he reached her. He looked completely defeated as she lifted her eyes to his. "No, it's not you. Or Moss. Or Richmond for that matter."

"Richmond said you were crying."

"A bit. Yeah."

"Why?"

"You'll only laugh at me." She paused. "Say it's my fault."

"No, no I won't." Roy kept his voice low. "Douglas. What's he done? Had he upset you? I'll. I'll."

"No." Jen paused. "It wasn't him. Not this time. Since that thing with the Rohypnol he's left me alone."

"Then what?" He brushed a stray hair away from her face. "Who upset you."

"Last night. My date. He was awful. He just kept going on and on. I couldn't believe how sexist he was, how mean and then I started thinking that I'm either going to end up alone or with someone like that." Jen explained as she looked Roy in the eye. He smiled at her. She bit her lip. "See? I knew you'd laugh."

"I'm not laughing at you." He paused.

"Looks like you are."

"Well I'm not."

"What are you laughing at, then?" Jen raised an eyebrow.

"Just the idea that you're going to end up with some sexist pig. You deserve someone lovely. Someone who loves you for you." He stepped back as Jen stared at him.

"Roy."

"You heard what Moss said." He turned back to his computer.

"Yeah. He said you love me." Jen watched him. "He said I love you. I."

"Yeah and I like said you deserve someone lovely. Not me." Roy stopped as Jen sat down on the sofa. "Someone."

"Who makes me laugh? Is kind, caring, looks after his mates when they are getting bullied by thugs in the park." Roy paused, turning to face her.

"Jen?"

He watched as she stared at him. "You know what I mean."

"I."

She stepped closer to him, resting her hand on his. "Roy, we're friends. I get it." He smiled slightly.

"What was Moss thinking? No way we could ruin this. We've been friends for ages."

"I know." Jen agreed. Roy held her gaze for a moment too long as he seemed to get closer. His eyes flicked closed as he pulled her closer to him. He kissed her gently on the lips as she wrapped her arms around him. Neither of them saw Moss or Richmond in the doorway watching them.

"Moss, my friend. I think our work here is done." Richmond sighed as Moss nodded before leaving the couple alone.

Xxxxxx

A/N the end


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